Medici Riccardi Palace

Palazzo Medici Riccardi is a place that quietly reveals its grandeur the more time you spend inside. While the palace itself is rich in history and elegance, the true highlight is the Gallery of Mirrors, a space that leaves a lasting impression from the moment you step in. The ceiling of the gallery is extraordinary. Covered in frescoes filled with allegory, movement, and symbolism, it feels less like decoration and more like a carefully constructed message about power, virtue, and destiny. Every panel draws your eyes upward, inviting you to slow down and really look. The play of light reflected in the mirrors enhances the sense of depth and drama, making the ceiling feel alive and almost theatrical. Walking through the gallery, you get a strong sense of how art was used not just for beauty, but to communicate ideals and authority. It is immersive, intimate, and surprisingly emotional, especially when you realize how intentionally every detail was designed to impress and persuade.

Incredible, wonderful surprise to find this gem while wandering the city. Highly recommended to stop in to see how the upper class lived hundreds of years ago, and very nice that many chairs are set up throughout to really enjoy each room.

Tickets were reasonably priced - we paid €15 per person. The place wasn't crowded, and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit. There are also temporary exhibitions on the underground floor and a small, lovely garden outside. Plenty of toilets and relatively clean facilities, which was great. If you're a fan of the Medici TV series, this is a must-visit! My boyfriend was super hyped since he's a big fan.

The Palazzo Medici Riccardi, formerly the ancestral castle of the Medici family, is the first early Renaissance building erected in Florence. This landmark is located near the Piazza del Duomo. The palace became an architectural model for similar buildings later, becoming a classic. And the history of one of Florence's most famous buildings has become an inseparable part of the city's history. There's really nothing to see there. The main building is administrative, with a couple of rooms remaining, some of which are rented out for conferences. Those few rooms that remain don't even have any original furnishings, just a few chairs and armchairs (as if that's how it always was). Estates like this should be shown for free, as there's nothing to see there, much less spend your money or time on them. I don't recommend it.

I had the opportunity to visit the Medici Palace in Florence and it is definitely a place worth seeing. I chose a guided tour and truly recommend it – thanks to that we learned many interesting stories and anecdotes about the Medici family and life in Renaissance Florence. The palace itself is truly impressive – both with its architecture and the richness of its interiors. It hides many fascinating objects, and the atmosphere takes you back to the city’s golden age. An absolute must-see for anyone visiting Florence.

The Medici Palace in Florence was fascinating to visit. Its history, architecture, and artistic details capture the essence of Renaissance Florence. Walking through its halls feels like stepping back in time — elegant, powerful, and full of cultural charm.

Very much enjoyed this place. Was quiet and really got to savour and experience old Florence, but with all the modern convenience. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Beautiful courtyard as you go in Useful locker to leave your bag and enjoy your stay more... (Ufizzi Take note!!) Inner courtyard is lovely too and there is a little garden outside with some wonderful ancient wisteria. Spent an hour there, which is enough but took plenty in. You can stay longer if you want to go into detail but the general vibe is artistic, stately and beautiful.

After studying the Medici before heading to Florence, this was a must see for my wife and me, and it did not disappoint! It is not as crowded as places like the Uffizi or the Duomo and I highly recommend spending an hour and a half here.

Owned by the fameous Medici Family, this historical palace was just okay for me. Part of this is the price to visit seems a bit much compared to the other attractions given the relatively small sized venue. That being said nobody put a gun to my head and forced me to go in either. The palace itself is impressive for a residence and the art was interesting. There is a small garden on the way out as well. Backpacks are not allowed but they had a convenient free locker system to check them when you enter. Aside from that I think it comes down to what exactly interests you and what you want to see......

Beautiful, historic, impressive, and overpriced like everything in Florence. One of the most ancient and important palaces in Florence, Palazzo Medici Riccardi belonged to the infamous Medici family who started construction in 1445 under the direction of Michelozzo di Bartolomeo, completing the palace in about 10 years. Palazzo Medici Riccardi sits prominently on the northwest corner of Via L. Gori just one block north of the Piazza del Duomo (take the street that heads north just between the Battistero di San Giovanni - aka Baptistry of Saint John - and Santa Maria del Fiore - aka "Duomo" or "Cathedral". Entrance is €7 for adults and includes the impressive Capella dei Magi di Benozzo Gozzoli (Chapel of the Magi by Benozzo Gozzoli), the Medici family chapel and the first thing you visit as you enter the apartments on the second (European first) floor. Not very large, the chapel's ornate frescoes, painted in the mid-Fifteenth Century by Gozzoli, tell the story of the journey of the three kings to Bethlehem interspersed with members of the powerful Medici family along the way. The rest of the apartment has a few pieces of furniture, some statues, paintings and tapestries, but the most impressive thing is the palace itself, its beautiful courtyards, and the chapel of course. There are art exhibitions in three locations around the courtyard on the ground floor which are included in your admission. Definitely worth a visit, I am not sure it is worth €7 ($7.60) and would be a much better value in the €4 to €5 range. Florence would definitely benefit from a "reasonably priced" all inclusive museum day-ticket option other than the Firenze Card (€72 - good for 72 hours). The Amici degli Uffizi card (€60/adult and good from Jan 1 - Dec 31) used to allow free entry into most of the major museums and churches, including unlimited access to the Uffizi Gallery and Galleria L'academia (Michelangelo's statue of David), but starting in June 2015 they limited entry only to the Uffizi, making it a much less attractive option. CombatCritic Gives Palazzo Medici Riccardi 6 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

One of the most historical palazzos in Florence, designed by Michelozzo di Bartolomeo and owned by very famous and very powerful Medici Family and later sold to Riccardi, you will find this impressive palazzo steps away from the Duomo and the famous San Lorenzo markets. Inside is a museum and they also hold temporary exhibits in another area of the palazzo. I recently went to the just opened "Dali Universe" a Salvador Dali exhibit which was truly spectacular if you are into surrealism, sculptures, designs and drawings. If you get the chance, walk through the gorgeous, intriguing lemon gardens - in the inner courtyard of the building. This is a truly spectacular example of Renaissance architecture and is a must-see for those who want to see more of the Medicis in Florence.

If you have the Firenze Card, then stop by. When I went, there was no line and it was "free" because I had the Firenze Card, so it was worthwhile. There were a couple of nice rooms to see and a splendid little courtyard, but with a line and a fee, I would have felt like it wasn't worth it.

I love palazzo medici and pass by here as a short cut quite often. It's a beautiful structure with rich history. I consider the Medicis my "neighbors," cause I live down the block. however, I will say this, stay off the grass in the garden. You may or may not be treated very rudely by a little old man with nothing better to do than make people feel little, even if the edge of your shoe barely touches the grass, or if you look at a tree like you want to smell it. How dare you enjoy the nature in this lovely little garden, when all of Florence is covered in stone and concrete. oh by the way, there is a sign that says to stay off the grass, if that is, you just happen to see the little novel that is on a pedestal at the edge of the garden and you go over here to read it. It's not like they could put up a sign that says to stay off the grass. Then they would not be able to yell at people and ruin the good afternoon they were having with their little girl.

Having visited this magnificent palazzo one year ago to the day, it is long overdue that I lose a few words about what is a key 'must-see'; one of the largest and most important Renaissance palaces in Florence. As the wealth of the de'Medici family grew, so did their need for a better family house and in 1444, Michelozzo di Bartolommeo (1396-1472) designed this palazzo for 'Cosimo the Elder'. Cosimo, who claimed that envy is a weed that should not be watered, did not want too grand a home for fear of contributing to local hostility and the original commission to Brunelleschi was therefore revoked because the architect's plans were as could be his wont too ornate. In Michelozzo's design, the exterior was simple, Photo link: http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd76/Textklick/Qype%20pix/37165189.jpg yet the interior luxurious enough to befit guests who included the likes of Charles V of France. The Medici family resided there until Cosimo I, the first grand duke of Tuscany, moved to the Palazzo Vecchio in 1537 (later the family moved to the larger, grandiose Pitti Palace see also review of the Vasari Corridor). In 1659, the palazzo was acquired by the Riccardi family who altered and enlarged it, almost doubling the length of the facade. In 1814, it was then sold to the royal family Lorena that relegated it to administrative offices until in 1871 it changed hands again and is now owned by the City of Florence that still uses it for administrative purposes. The palace now houses temporary exhibitions. It was Cosimo's eldest son, Piero, who ordered the construction of the private chapel for which this building is most famous the Cappella dei Magi which is reached via the elegant seventeenth-century staircase. The chapel, built and decorated in the fifteenth century, features a harmonious decoration of enchanting beauty and is a small, romantic and intimate place of striking beauty with its remarkable frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli. Gozzoli (c. 1421 1497) was an Italian Renaissance painter and a pupil of Fra Angelico and his frescoes more famous even than the artist himself constitute one of the most eminent illustrations of Medici Florence. As 'Fathers of the Renaissance', the de'Medici had a penchant for encouraging their protégés to include Medici family portraits in their work and it is said that the family 'enjoyed a good turnout' in this piece, which is just a part of the full work. Photo link: http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd76/Textklick/Medici-Procession-BR700.jpg In pristine condition, it is a stunningly beautiful piece of art. Since 1972, the exhibition area of Palazzo Medici Riccardi has offered both tourists and visitors a programme of temporary exhibitions dedicated to the major protagonists of modern and contemporary art. For several years now, instead, the exhibition policy has been oriented to stimulating in the public a greater understanding of the historic and artistic context, consequently proposing exhibitions which are consistent with the Renaissance and Baroque identity of the palazzo. Palazzo Medici Riccardi now offers the visitor the chance to retrace over four centuries of the history of art and architecture in Florence. The itinerary starts on the ground floor, the fulcrum of which is Michelozzo's fifteenth-century courtyard, Photo link: http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd76/Textklick/2009_1227Garden0009.jpg one of the most suggestive sites of Renaissance Florence. Another important pole of attraction of the museum of Palazzo Medici Riccardi is the magnificent Galleria, created at the end of the seventeenth century and again located on the first floor, in the area overlooking the garden. Here the visitor is immersed in the triumphal and variegated pomp of late Baroque art, dominated by the lively and spectacular tumult of the ceiling fresco by Luca Giordano. Finally, an integral part of the palazzo and its display circuit are the Biblioteche Moreniana and Riccardiana, located in splendidly decorated premises, with access from Via Ginori. Laboratorio di Lorenzo, the new multimedia consultation room in Palazzo Medici Riccardi, is located in what was once the chamber of Lorenzo il Magnifico and is based on a new and stimulating use of technology. Such technology is not expected to replace the approach to the original work of art, but to help the visitors to understand it, enabling them to obtain an overview of the sites and monuments, and their contents in terms of history, dynastic evidence, sacred and secular symbolism and artistic and cultural values. It houses two "PointAt" systems which provide information and enable examination of Benozzo Gozzoli's fresco cycle in the Chapel of the Magi. The visitor stands and points imperiously doubtless in the manner of Lorenzo il Magnifico ;-) to see information and enable examination of Benozzo Gozzoli's fresco cycle in the Chapel of the Magi. You can select your language and zoom in to various sections.